Line-spacing mechanism por type-writing machines



E. B. HESS.. LINE SPACING MCHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, I916- Patented Aug. 29, 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEET IINVENTOVR WITNESSES E. B. HESS. LINE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITINGMACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3, [916.

Patented Aug. .29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

"mil!!!" BY i ATTORNEY E. B. LINE SPACING MECHANISM WRITING MACHINES.APPLICATION FILE 3. 1916.

1,196,1 10. Patented 29,1916.

3 SH HEET INVENTOR A TTOR/VE Y UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. HES S, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROYAL TYPEWRITERCOMPANY, INC., 013 NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 29,1916.

Application filed April 13, 1916. Serial No. 90,867.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD B. Hnss, a citizenof the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLine-Spacing Mechanism for Type-VVriting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention'relates to the line spacing mechanism of typewritingmachines and particularly to mechanism of the kind constructed to turnthe platen step by step, by means of pawl and ratchet devices, uniformdistances to produce uniformly spaced lines of print and which isassociated with means for disengaging the platen from its ratchetmechanism whereby the platen may be turned and adjusted a definiteextent for what is called minutefractional spacing between the usuallines for the purpose of mechanism returns to its normal position.

It is also of great importance that after a release and after afractional adjustment has been effected and the release mechanism isallowed to return to its normal position that it should do so withoutturning the platen any appreciable distance in such manner as to disturbthe carefully made adjustment which is often produced for the purpose ofeffecting printing on paper so ruled that accurate adjustment by theordinary ratchet mechanism cannot be accomplished.

According to my invention the platen is provided with mechanism for linespacing which may be of any well known or suitable kind and inconnection with the usual ratchet wheel thereof I employ a lockingdevice of novel construction, one member of which is fixed to, orrigidly connected with, the

ratchet wheel and is free to turn therewithon the platen shaft whenreleased from the platen, while the other locking member is arranged toturn with the platen, is slidably mounted on the platen end and isadapted to engage the first-mentioned member of the locking means insuch manner that when the ratchet wheel is actuated the platen will becorrespondingly turned. That member of the locking means which issecured to the ratchet wheel is preferably cup-shaped and is providedwith an annular series of fine teeth or ridges on the inside of its rimwhile the companion locking member, which is connected to turn with theplaten, is preferably in the form of a circular plate or disk havinglaterally projecting flanges formed M with serrations or fine teeth orridges adapted to engage the annular series of ridges on the cup-shapedmember of the locking means. The locking disk normally engages thecup-shaped member being 50 held by springs housed in the adjacent end ofthe platen. The locking device may be opened by means of a rod operatedby a push button and extending through a channel or bore in the platenshaft and engaging the disk or plate.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a detail view in frontelevation, and with 30 parts broken away, of a typewriter platen with myimproved line spacing mechanism applied, showing how the platen islocked to the ratchet mechanism; Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of theend plate or head at one end, 5

of the platen; Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the disk member of thelocking device and it also shows its relation with the outer boss of theend plate and the platen shaft which are shown in section; Fig. 4t showsa sideoo elevation of one end of the platen shaft Fig. 5, an end viewthereof; Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of one end of the platen withmyimprovements plied, such improved line spacing mechanism being mainlyshown in section; Fig. 7 is a detail view on an enlarged scaleillustrating how the locking members engage each other. Fig. 8, anenlarged detail view in section, showing the form of the teeth or ridgesemployed in the locking mechanism; Fig. 9, a side elevationof linespacing mechanism and detent mechanism. in connection with which myimproved fractional spacing mechanism may be used.

The platen A may be made in the usual way as by covering a wooden hollowcore a with a sheathing ofrubber or other suitable material a and issecured to the platen shaft C by locking screw Y in the usual way andthe platen shaft, and consequently the platen, always revolve or turntogether. The end of the platen shown; and to which my improvements areapplied, is closed by an end plate or head B having an inwardlyextending hollow boss I) and an outwardly extending hollow boss 6,through which extends theplate n shaft C., The plate or head B issecured in position on the end of the platen by screws 6 extendingthrough screw holes 6 and such head is provided with holes (Z (Fig. 2)through which extend pins D which slide therein and are headed on theirinner ends and are free to move in recesses 03 formed in the body of theplaten and which recesses also house springs d which are held in properalinement by reduced extensions X 6f the pins D and serve to pressthepins outward. The platen shaft is formed with a longitudinal channelor bore a connecting with a longitudinal slot 0' extending from theouter end of the shaft inward to the head B. The spring-pressed 7 pins Dare secured at their outer ends to a locking member E which surroundsthe boss 6 and is free to slide thereon. Said locking member is hereshown in the form of a circular plate or disk and it is provided with atongue 6 which enters the slot 0. The disk E may be formed with a singlecontinuous flange or rim, or as shown formed with one or more,preferably three, outwardly extending flanges e which preferably incl neslightly inward toward the axls of the disk and on the outside of theseflanges are formed fine teeth or ridges, as indicated at 6 The otherlocking member F is preferably in the form of a cup, surrounding theboss 2) and also surrounding the locking member E. Said cup-shapedmember F is loose on the laten shaft, 2'. 6., it does not turn therewitunless held by the locking member E which does at all times turn withthe platen, as before stated. On the inside of the rim of the member Fthere is an annular series of horizontally disposed fine teeth or ridgesf which are adapted to interlock with the teeth 6 of the member E. Whenso graduatedlyengaged the two members are locked and turn together.Formed on, a part .of, or firmly attached to the member F is theline-spacing ratchet wheel G which may be operated by any suitablemechanism in the usual way. The mechanism is suitably supported by meansof to, or forming attached a rod L which contacts with the;

tongue e of the locking member E. The rod may be moved endwise in theplaten shaft C to the extent indicated, its inward move- .ment beinglimited by the contact of the hub i with the end of the shaft C and itsoutward movement being limited by the contact of the screw Z -with theinner end wall of the groove Z2. I and f on the locking members arenecessarily made of minute divisions so that a very fine adjustment maybe obtained and these teeth or ridges are preferably of the form shownon an enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8. By reference to Fig. 7 it will beseen that the teeth or ridges in the locking members are engaged by agraduated action inasmuch as the flanges e are slightly inclined so thatwhen the member E approaches the member F the teeth or bers are freelyand gradually engaged with each other and are then firmly locked. Thisis an important feature of my invention. It enables me to use fine teethor ridges so that very fine adjustments may be obtained and yet theteeth or ridges when engaged are so firmly looked that any falsemovement or slipping of the parts is entirely avoided.

My improvements, as before stated, may be used in connection with anysuitable linespacing mechanisni. In Fig. 9 I have shown mechanism ofthis kind of the form more fully illustrated and described and claimedin my application for Patent No. 863,264 filed Sept. 24, 1914. Brieflystated this mechanism comprises a lever M actuating a push pawl Nengaging the ratchet wheel G before referred to, a shield 0 partiallysur- The teeth or ridges e ridges on thelockingmemrounding the ratchetwheel for determining the number of teeth exposed to the action of thepawl. The mechanism shown also comprises a lever P moved in onedirection by a spring 7) and carrying a spring R equipped with a rollerpawl or dog Q which acts as a detent and also as a means for turning thewheel backward when desired. The spring t attached to the lever Pnormally holds the pawl g in engagement with the ratchet wheel but saidpawl may be withdrawn from the ratchet by means of a cam S actuated byan operating lever T. If desired the exponent device, its lever P andspring 79 may be omitted when the 'spring holding block Z, carried bythe lower end of the lever P, may be secured to the carriage end plate.It will thus be understood that my latter may be operated by the linespacing ber E from the member F. At this time the devices in the usualway. But when it. is desired to adjust between the lines or to print atsome particular part of a sheet to which the line spacing mechanism isnot adapted to adjust the push button K is moved inward in the mannerindicated in Fig. 6 so as to disengage the locking memplaten is notoperatively connected with the ratchet wheel and the platen may, bymeans of the hand wheel I, be turned in either direction to any extentpermitted by the minute graduations e on the flanges e coacting with thefine teeth or ridges f on the inside of the member F. As soon aspressure is removed from the push button the member E moves intoengagement with the member F and the platen is firmly locked in positionand the printing at the adjusted line of print may be effected and thismay be done without disturbing to any appreciable extent the adjustmentbecausethe teeth or ridges on the locking members are very fine andthese fine teeth or ridges are made to securely interlock with eachother by reason of the fact that as indicated in Fig. 7 they graduallyengage each other without materially disturbing the platen ad- 'ustmentsand yet such engagement is easily accomplished and when perfected ismost secure.

The ridges or fine teeth on both members of the locking device are ofconsiderable length as compared with their width and the longitudinaledges of the ridges on one member are inclined relatively to thelongitudinal edges of the ridges on the other member so that when onemember is moved toward the other the ridges on one member graduallyenter the grooves between the ridges on the other member and the twosets of ridges' finally become firmly engaged with each other. By thisconstruction I am able to use a. very large number of extremely narrowor fine ridges and grooves and thus obtain an exceedingly fineadjustment and am able to cause the membersto readily engage withoutdanger of their slipping past each other.

I claim:

1. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, incombination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and lockingmembers forconnecting the ratchet wheel with the platen having fineinterlocking ridges which have their longitudinal or peripheral edgesinclined relatively to each other.

2 Platen release mechanism for typewritm machines comprising, incombination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and lockingmembers for connecting the ratchet wheel with the platen havinginterlocking fine ridges which have their longitudinal edges inclinedrelatively to each other and have their engaging or contacting portionsof the same width.

3. Platen release mechanism for typewritmg machines comprising, incombination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and lockingdevices for connecting the ratchet wheel. with the platen shaftconsisting of two members one of which is connected to rotate with theplaten and the other with the ratchet wheel both of said members beingprovided with interlocking ridges the longitudinal edges of the ridgeson one member being inclined relatively to the longitudinal edges of theridges on the other member, the contacting or engaging portions of theridges on one member being of the same width as the corresponding partson the other member.

4;. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, incombination with the platen and its shaft, a cupshaped locking memberconnected to rotate with the ratchet wheel and havingon the inside ofits rim a circular series of diminu-' tive ridges, a flanged lockingmember-connected to move with the platen and having ridges on saidflange engaging the ridges on the cup-shaped member, the longitudinal orperipheral edges of which are set at an angle to the longitudinal edgesof the ridges on the cup-shaped member. 5. Platen release mechanism fortypewriting machines comprising, in combination with the platen and itsshaft, a ratchet wheel loose on the platen shaft and locking members forconnecting the platen with the ratchet wheel, one of which members isformed with fine ridges the longitudinal edges of which are parallelwith the axis of the platen and the other of which members is formedwith fine ridges the longitudinal edges of which are set at an angle tothe longitudinal edges of the ridges on the first mentioned lockingmember, said ridges in both members being of the same width where theyengage or contact with each other.

6. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, incombination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel loose on theplaten shaft, a locking member connected with the ratchet wheel torotate therewith and which is provided with interlocking ridges, alocking member connected to rotate with the platen and hav-. ing ridgesadapted to engage the ridges on the other locking member, spring pressedIn testimony whereof, I have hereunto pins -housed in the platen andtending to subscribed my name.

hold the locking members in. engagement with. each other and a push rodmounted EDWARD B; HESS. 5 to slide centrally in the platen shaft andWitnesses: 1 directly engaging one oftsaid members for F. C. GREEN,

separating it from the other member. Y GEORGE F. HANDLEY.

